Gun magazine with leaf spring

ABSTRACT

An ammunition clip is provided for supplying cartridges to a gun. The ammunition clip includes an elongated housing having an internal chamber for holding a plurality of laterally aligned cartridges, said elongated housing having a loading end and an opposing end, a moveable carriage disposed within the internal chamber for urging the aligned cartridges towards the loading end and a resilient elongated member that engages the opposing end of the housing with a first end and the moveable carriage with a second end, said resilient member being adapted to assume a substantially straight configuration when the ammunition clip is empty and a U-shaped configuration when the ammunition clip is full.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The field of the invention relates to firearms and more particularly to ammunition clips for firearms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Ammunition clips (magazines) for firearms are widely used. Such clips often hold large numbers of cartridges and are often associated with automatic and semi-automatic weapons. The ease and speed with which an empty clip can be replaced with a full clip makes the use of ammunition clips very popular with the police, the armed forces and gun hobbyists, in general.

[0003] Gun clips are typically constructed with an elongated housing with one end of the housing engaging the gun and the other, lower end extending downward. The lower end is frequently used as a handle.

[0004] Cartridges are typically loaded from the gun end and are usually inserted cross-wise to the elongation of the housing. A spring underneath the cartridges is compressed by insertion of each cartridge and functions to urge the loaded cartridges towards the gun breech during firing.

[0005] While existing gun clips work well, their spring mechanisms are unnecessarily complex. In order to maximize the number of cartridges that a clip holds, the spring is required to have a very low profile and to occupy a relatively small volume at the bottom of the clip when the clip is full loaded. Because of the importance of gun clips a need exists for a more space efficient spring mechanism.

SUMMARY

[0006] An ammunition clip is provided for supplying cartridges to a gun. The ammunition clip includes an elongated housing having an internal chamber for holding a plurality of laterally aligned cartridges, said elongated housing having a gun engagement end and an opposing end, a moveable carriage disposed within the internal chamber for urging the aligned cartridges towards the gun engagement end and a resilient elongated member that engages the opposing end of the housing with a first end and the moveable carriage with a second end, said resilient member being adapted to assume a substantially straight configuration when the ammunition clip is empty and a U-shaped configuration when the ammunition clip is full.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a side view of a handgun and ammunition clip in accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the invention;

[0008]FIGS. 2a-b depict cut-away side and rear view of the clip used with the handgun of FIG. 1;

[0009]FIG. 3 depicts the clip of FIG. 2 in a fully-loaded configuration; and

[0010]FIG. 4 depicts an alternate embodiment of the clip of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

[0011]FIG. 1 is a side view of a handgun with ammunition magazine (clip) 10 shown generally under an illustrated embodiment of the invention. While FIG. 1 shows the clip 10 in conjunction with a handgun 12, it should be understood that the clip 10 may be used with a rifle or any other type of firearm.

[0012]FIG. 2a is a cut-away side view of the clip 10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2b is a end view of the clip 10. As shown in FIGS. 2a-b, the clip 10 has an elongated housing 14 that, engages with a firearm at a loading end (top of FIGS. 2a-b) and extends downwards away from the breech of the gun towards an opposing end. The elongated housing 14 may be provided with a rear aperture 26.

[0013] In the case of the handgun 12 of FIG. 1, the clip 10 may fit entirely within the handle of the handgun 12. Within the clip 10 is a receptacle 16 for ammunition (one cartridge 18 is shown within the receptacle 16).

[0014] Included within the clip 10 may be a moveable carriage (also commonly referred to as a follower) 20 that (as cartridges 18 are removed from the clip 10 by operation of the gun 12 or other wise) moves upwards under the influence of an elongated resilient member (leaf spring) 22. The carriage 20 may be provided with a flat (or curved) upper surface (in contact with the cartridges 18) and a recess 24 in the lower surface to receive the leaf spring 22.

[0015] The leaf spring 22 may be provided with a formed loop 30, 32 on opposing ends. A pin 26 may be inserted through the loop 30 of the leaf spring 22 on a first end and engage opposing sidewalls 34, 36 of the carriage 20. Similarly, a pin 28 may be inserted through the loop 32 of the leaf spring 22 on a second end and engage opposing sidewalls 38, 40 of the housing 14.

[0016] As the clip 10 is loaded with cartridges 18, the carriage 20 moves downward and a center portion of the leaf spring 22 deflects to the left as indicated by the arrow 42. As the carriage 20 continues to move downward as new cartridges 18 are loaded, the leaf spring 22 continues to move in the direction shown by the arrow 42. As the center portion of the spring 22 reaches the rear wall 44 of the enclosure 14, the center portion begins to pass through the aperture 26.

[0017] As the clip 10 becomes fully loaded, the clip 10 may assume the configuration shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, once the clip 10 is fully loaded with cartridges 46, the carriage 20 may approach and abut against the lower pin 28. The leaf spring 22 in the fully loaded state may assume the U-shape as shown in FIG. 3 with the center portion of the spring 22 extending through the aperture 26 in the housing 14.

[0018] The leaf spring 22 may be fabricated of any appropriate resilient material (e.g., spring steel, plastic, etc.). The carriage 20 may be fabricated of metal or plastic with steel or plastic pins 26, 28 to secure the spring 22 to the carriage 20 and housing 14. The housing 14 may be fabricated of a similar material.

[0019] Under another illustrated embodiment of the invention (FIG. 4), the carriage 20 and enclosure 14 are provided with short stub walls 50, 52. The stub walls 50, 52 may function to create a pocket 54, 56 that functions to capture the opposing ends of the spring 22 in an operative position within the clip 10. The opposing ends of the spring 22 may be provided into a short transverse projection 58, 60 (e.g., a 90 degree bend) to further aid in the retention of the ends within the pockets 54, 56.

[0020] In another embodiment of the invention, the leaf spring 22 of FIGS. 2-4 may be replaced with an elongated spring 70 that may have one or more loops 76 in the center portion. A pair of loops 72, 78 on opposing ends allow the elongated spring 70 to engage the housing 14 and carriage 20 as described above. During use, the center portion may assume the U-shape of FIG. 3 and the loop(s) 76 may extend through the aperture 26, as described above when the clip 10 is fully loaded.

[0021] In another embodiment of the invention, the leaf spring 22 of FIGS. 2-4 may be replaced with a compound elongated spring 80 of FIG. 6. The compound spring 80 may include a primary leaf spring portion 84 and a secondary spring portion 82. The secondary portion 82 may be rigidly or pivotally attached to the carriage 20. Similarly, the secondary portion 82 may be rigidly or pivotally attached to the main portion 84.

[0022] Where the secondary portion 82 is rigidly attached to the carriage 20, the secondary portion 82 may be pivotally attached to the main portion 84. The pivotal attachment to the main portion 84 may allow the secondary portion 82 to deflect against an end wall 41 of the clip 10 during certain conditions where the clip is partially or fully loaded. As the clip 10 approaches an empty state, the secondary portion 82 may function to urge the carriage 20 upwards to allow the gun 12 to fully empty the clip 10.

[0023] Alternatively, the secondary portion 82 may be rigidly attached to the main portion 84 and pivotally attached to the carriage 20. In this case, the compound spring 80 may function as described above with reference to the leaf spring 22.

[0024] The secondary portion 82 may provide a different upward resilient force than the main portion 84. The different resilient forces may allow the main portion 84 to effect movement of the carriage 20 when it is more fully loaded and heavier while the secondary portion 82 may be used to effect movement of the carriage 20 as the clip approaches the empty state. The main portion 84 may be fabricated of plastic or metal as described above while the secondary portion 82 may be fabricated as a coil spring or any other appropriate materials (e.g., a pressure inducing elastomer or balloon, airshock, sponge, etc.)

[0025] In another illustrated embodiment, the clip 10 of FIG. 1, now relabeled 100 in FIGS. 7a-b and 8 a-b, has been modified to include a compound leaf spring assembly 102, follower assembly 104 and slot assembly 106 that functions to ensure a linear motion of the spring assembly 102 and carriage assembly 104. A shield assembly 108 may also be provided to allow the unimpeded operation of the clip 100.

[0026]FIGS. 7a-b shows the clip 100 in a loaded state and FIGS. 8a-b shows the clip 100 in an unloaded state.

[0027] The spring assembly 102 may include a pair of leaf springs 110, 112. As may be noted, the leaf springs 110, 112 are located outside the sidewalls 130, 132 of the internal clip chamber 114 that holds the cartridges 18.

[0028] As may be noted from FIG. 8a, the carriage assembly 104 is somewhat more complex than the carriage 20 of FIG. 1. In this regard, the carriage assembly 104 includes a guide 116, a helper spring 118 and carriage 120.

[0029] Opposing ends of the spring 118 may be relatively rigidly joined to the guide 116 and carriage 120. The carriage 120 and guide 116 may also be provided with through-pins 120, 122 adapted to engage the slot assembly 106.

[0030] The slot assembly 106 may include a longitudinal slot 126, 128 in opposing sideswalls 130, 132 of the body of the clip 100. The throughpins 120, 122 may extend through the guide 116 and carriage 120 to engage the slots 126, 128 in the sidewalls 130, 132. The interaction of the pins with the slots 110 allows the guide and carriage to move longitudinally from bottom to top of the chamber 114 in a relatively fixed relationship with each other and with the sidewalls of the body. The throughpin 122 through the guide 116 may extend through and past the slots 126, 128 by a sufficient distance to allow the leaf springs 110, 112 to engage the ends of the throughpin 122.

[0031] The carriage assembly 104 may be provided with a relatively low profile in the loaded state. In the loaded state, the spring 118 compresses to allow the guide 116 to enter a recess 134 within the carriage 120.

[0032] The pair of leaf springs 110, 112 may be provided with loops on each end and may engage the guide 116 on a first moveable end by encircling the pin 122. Similarly, the springs 110, 112 may encircle the pin 124 on the stationary end. As shown in FIGS. 7a-b, the springs 110, 112 are outside the body of the clip 100.

[0033] The shield assembly 108 may be provided to enclose the slots 126, 128 and springs 110, 112. The shield assembly 108 may include a shield 136, 138 on opposing sides of the clip 100. The shields 136, 138 may be attached to the body using spacers (not shown) between the sidewalls 130, 132 and shields 136, 138 to allow a continuous predetermined space 140, 142 along the entire length on either side of the body. The predetermined space 140, 142 protects and allows unimpeded motion of the leaf springs 110, 112 as it transitions from the flexed state shown in FIG. 7a to the substantially relaxed state shown in FIG. 8a.

[0034]FIGS. 9a-b is a cut-away view of the carriage assembly 104 and shows additional detail of the carriage assembly 104. As shown, the guide 116 may include a centrally-located vertical peg 144 to engage a guide aperture 146. In this particular embodiment the pin 120 may have a center section removed to accommodate the pin 120.

[0035] FIGS. 10-28 illustrate alternate embodiments that may be used in place of the spring 118 of FIGS. 8 and 9. In each case, the top element of each of FIGS. 10-28 show the element in its relaxed state and the lower figure shows the element in its compressed state.

[0036] As shown, FIGS. 10 and 11 may be coil springs. FIG. 12 may be a leaf spring and FIG. 13 may be a compound leaf spring. FIGS. 14 and 19 may be comprised of two rigid rods coupled by an elastomer. FIG. 15 may be a compound spring, while FIG. 20 may be a circular device.

[0037] FIGS. 16-18 may be a hinged joint of two rigid members with a resilient member that urges the members into a straightened position. Similarly, FIGS. 21-24 may be a spring member with one or more loops disposed in a center section, with or without helper springs.

[0038]FIG. 25 may be a pneumatic device. In this case, a piston of the pneumatic device is shown in both its compressed and relaxed state.

[0039] FIGS. 26-28 shows examples of eccentric spring structures. As above, the top and bottom elements represent both the compressed and relaxed states.

[0040] The clips 10, 100 offer significant advantages over prior art devices. For example, prior art clips use carriages that occupy from 15-35% of an ammunition clip. The clip 10, 100 described herein occupies, 5-10% of the clip resulting in a considerable increase in ammunition capacity.

[0041] In addition, the clips 10, 100 described herein use resilient members that encounter considerably less friction by contact with the sidewalls of the clip. Accordingly, the clips described herein may use smaller resilient members without sacrificing performance.

[0042] In addition, the use of an elongated spring 22, 70, 80 results in a clip 10 that is considerably simpler to manufacture and use than prior art models. Further, the simplification of construction shown in FIGS. 1-4 allows for the fabrication of disposable clips 10.

[0043] The availability of disposable clips 10 could result in considerable time savings for police and military personnel. In this situation, ammunition manufacturers may preload the clips 10 and sell the preloaded clips 10 for a small premium over the cost of the ammunition by itself.

[0044] Moreover, the availability of preloaded, disposable clips 10 could be of significant benefit for police and military personnel. For example, in the heat of battle, the availability of preloaded, disposable clips 10 could allow military personnel to continue firing their weapons while prior art clips would necessarily have to be periodically reloaded. This could be of significant benefit not only to the military, but also for police personnel and for sportsmen.

[0045] A specific embodiment of a novel ammunition clip has been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention is made and used. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover the present invention and any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. 

1. An ammunition clip for supplying cartridges to a gun, said ammunition clip comprising: an elongated housing having an internal chamber for holding a plurality of laterally aligned cartridges, said elongated housing having a loading end and an opposing end; a moveable carriage disposed within the internal chamber for urging the aligned cartridges towards the loading end; and a resilient elongated member that engages the opposing end of the housing with a first end and the moveable carriage with a second end, said resilient member being adapted to assume a substantially straight configuration when the ammunition clip is empty and a U-shaped configuration when the ammunition clip is full.
 2. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the elongated housing further comprises an aperture adjacent the opposing end that allows a center portion of the resilient member to project out of the ammunition clip when the ammunition clip is full.
 3. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises a loop on the second end.
 4. The ammunition clip as in claim 3 wherein the elongated housing further comprises a transverse post that engages the loop on the second end of the resilient member.
 5. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises a loop on the first end.
 6. The ammunition clip as in claim 5 wherein the moveable carriage further comprises a transverse post that engages the loop on the first end of the resilient member.
 7. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the elongated housing further comprises a slit that receives the second end of the resilient member.
 8. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the moveable carriage further comprises a slit that receives the first end of the resilient member.
 9. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises spring steel.
 10. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises plastic.
 11. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises a loop in a center section.
 12. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises a compound spring.
 13. The ammunition clip as in claim 12 wherein the compound spring further comprises a first portion that provides a first resilient force and a second portion that provides a second resilient force less than the first resilient force.
 14. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the resilient member further comprises a second resilient elontated member.
 15. The ammunition clip as in claim 1 wherein the carriage further comprises a carriage assembly.
 16. The ammunition clip as in claim 15 wherein the carriage of the carriage assembly further comprises a throughpin that engages a slot disposed in a sidewall of the elongated housing.
 17. The ammunition clip as in claim 15 wherein the carriage assembly further comprises a helper spring.
 18. The ammunition clip as in claim 15 wherein the carriage further comprises a guide.
 19. The ammunition clip as in claim 18 wherein the guide further comprises a throughpin that engages a slot in a sidewall of the elongated housing.
 20. An ammunition clip for supplying cartridges to a gun, said ammunition clip comprising: an elongated housing having an internal chamber for holding a plurality of laterally aligned cartridges, said elongated housing having a loading end and an opposing end; a moveable carriage disposed within the internal chamber for urging the aligned cartridges towards the loading end; and a leaf spring disposed within the elongated housing generally parallel to an elongated axis of the elongated housing that engages the opposing end of the housing with a first end and the moveable carriage with a second end, leaf spring being adapted to assume a substantially straight configuration when the ammunition clip is empty and a U-shaped configuration when the ammunition clip is full.
 21. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the elongated housing further comprises an aperture adjacent the opposing end that allows a center portion of the leaf spring to project out of the ammunition clip when the ammunition clip is full.
 22. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the leaf spring further comprises a loop on the second end.
 23. The ammunition clip as in claim 22 wherein the elongated housing further comprises a transverse post that engages the loop on the second end of the leaf spring.
 24. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the leaf spring further comprises a loop on the first end.
 25. The ammunition clip as in claim 24 wherein the moveable carriage further comprises a transverse post that engages the loop on the first end of the leaf spring.
 26. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the elongated housing further comprises a slit that receives the second end of the leaf spring.
 27. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the moveable carriage further comprises a slit that receives the first end of the leaf spring.
 28. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the leaf spring further comprises spring steel.
 29. The ammunition clip as in claim 20 wherein the leaf spring further comprises plastic. 